Baby expansion-slipper

ABSTRACT

An open-toed slipper having a sole extension with a snap at an end thereof, the sole extension being backwardly flexible over the open toe and attachable to a free end of an elastic gore which at an opposite end of the gore is mounted on the top of the shoe, thereby providing for non-cramping shoes or slippers for babies or young children just beginning to or having just begun to walk, and the edges of the slipper including exposed foam rubber non-slidably grippable on slick or waxed floors reducing the possibility of accidental falling by the child.

United States Patent 1 Simister I [111 3,744,163 1 July 10, 1973 BABY EXPANSION-SUPPER [76] Inventor: Louis W. Simister, 2500 Johnson Avenue, Riverdale, NY. 10463 [22] Filed: July 3, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 268,653

[52] US. Cl 36/2.5 B, 36/25 E [51] Int. Cl. A43b [58] Field of Search 36/25 R, 2.5 E,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,603,889 7/1952 Lahnstein et a1 36/2.5 B 2,391,720 12/1945 Ludwig 36/25 B 3,058,241 10/1962 Rigsby 36/2.5 B

Primary ExaminerPatrick D. Lawson Attorney-William T. Hough and Laforest S. Saulsbury [57] ABSTRACT An open-toed slipper having a sole extension with a snap at an end thereof, the sole extension being backwardly flexible over the open toe and attachable to a free end of an elastic gore which at an opposite end of the gore is mounted on the top of the shoe, thereby providing for non-cramping shoes or slippers for babies or young children just beginning to or having just begun to walk, and the edges of the slipper including exposed foam rubber non-slidably grippable on slick or waxed floors reducing the possibility of accidental falling by the child.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BABY EXPANSION-SUPPER This invention relates to a baby shoe or slipper.

BACKGROUND TO THE lNVENTlON Prior to the present invention there have existed numbers of different designs and types of baby shoes and slippers, all of which have been characterized by one or more disadvantages such as for example lack of provisions for the rapidly growing feet of the child, the need for secure but non-cramping supporting shoes, and yet a shoe at least sufficiently similar to normal shoes to be worn in the future as the child grows larger and older as to not disfigure nor thwart normal foot growth of the child. Also, most if not all prior shoes have been plagued by the lack of safety of the child in the toddling stage when the child is least secure in walking but nevertheless is faced with the task of making his or her way across slick or waxed floors. Danger of the child falling and severely injuring himself as his feet slip from beneath him is a major safety hazard with prior shoes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to overcome one or more of the above-type disadvantages and difflculties.

Another object is to obtain a baby shoe having new and useful advantages.

Another object is to obtain'a baby shoe capable of enduring in length depending upon the amount of pressure exerted by the forward portion of the babys foot on the sole of the shoes.

Another object is to obtain a non-skid baby shoe.

Another object is to obtain a baby shoe healthful to.

the development of the babys foot.

Another object is to obtain a baby shoe having a comfortable and non-irritating interior.

Other objects become apparent from the preceding and following disclosure.

One or more objects of the present invention are obtained by the invention as defined herein.

Broadly the invention includes a shoe-like structure having an open toe and having the sole extended forwardly as an extension of flexible material which is flexible upwardly and rearwardly over the body of the top of the toe of the shoe and attachable thereto by means of an elastic gore such as a strip of an elastic band secured at an upper end to the top of the shoe and securable at its lower toe-ward end to the backwardly flexed sole extension. As an alternative embodiment, there may be a plurality of alternate male or female snap positions on the top of the body of the toe of the shoe andthe mating male or female snap being on the body of the tip of the flexible sole extension, such that the toe extension when flexed upwardly and over the toe of the shoe may be attached to the upper body of the toe of the shoe at any of alternate positions closer to or further from the open toe. Either of the above typical embodiments of the present invention make possible the non-cramping of the child s or baby's foot from time to time as the childs foot rapidly grows after the purchase of the shoe initially. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sole includes an outer wearing-layer and additionally includes an inner cork or sponge layer which extends all the way to the opposite edges of the sole such that when the sole and the sides of the shoe are seamed in flush relationship to one another with the edges of the bottom of the sides of the shoe and of the sole turned outwardly such that the cork layer when the shoe is being worn at least to some extent serves to prevent the foot of a child from sliding when the shoe becomes turned slightly sidewardly. By this provision, young children learning to walk or shortly after having learned to walk are less likely to have their foot or feet slide out from under them when walking on slick linoleum and/or on waxed floors or other surfaces. In another preferred provision for the present invention, the shoe is split at the base of the ankle above the instep on the top of the shoe for at least a part of the distance downwardly toward the open toe and has seamed within the cutout and/or slit portion another elastic gore or elastic strip or sheet for providing at least some minimal degree of expansion of the shoe as dependent upon the width of the childs foot or the variations in height of the top of the instep from one child to another. In addition to, in a preferred embodiment, there being a cork or elastic foam layer inwardly of the outer sole, the outer surface of the sides and top of the shoe also have additionally an inner foam layer adding to the comfort of the shoe to the foot of the child. For sanitation purposes and to insulate the foot of the child from the foam layer, there is preferably an inner lining as the innermost surface of the shoe which would be in contact with the foot or sock of the child. This lining typically is of tricot or sheeting or felt or any other conventionalor desirable material but may be of conventional cloth material and preferably is of a material which is water-absorbent. Typically the sides and bottom and top of the shoe exposed as the wearing surface are expanded vinyl such as any conventionally used synthetic, or alternatively may be natural leather, or the like. At the top of the shoe for ease of placing on the shoe and to prevent the shoe from having any substantial tendency to fall or slip off of the foot of the child as a result of the child pulling or tugging on the shoe or kicking his or her feet, there is provided around the ankle at the top of the shoe an additional collar detachably fastenable preferably in the front but possibly on the back or on the outer side of the shoe such that the fastening portion will not serve to be an obstruction which would occasionally hit or be hit by the ankle or shoe of the other foot.

This invention relates to not merely a slipper or shoe but any conventional footwear such as shoes, boots, slippers, and the like and has as its principal object the elimination of pressure on different parts of the foot, particularly the elimination of pressure on the toes. The possibility of such pressure is substantially eliminated by making an open toe slipper with an extended sole folding up over the open toe and fastened with the means of a snap to the gore, and the gore being fastened at an opposite end thereof to the instep of the slipper on the top of the slipper body.

An additional advantage of the invention is that the unsnappable toe piece may be snapped open to set the correct size in the fitting of the proper position of the toe.

An additional utility of this shoe is the use of the shoe as a means of fitting other shoes, by using this as a standard for various size shoes as might be needed for feet of different sizes.

Another advantage of the open toe is to allow and enable air to dry the slipper in a more sanitary condition, thereby avoiding foot diseases of various sorts. To-

gether with the other advantages are the comfort and neat and attractive appearance of the shoe and/or slipper of the present invention.

THE FIGURES FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a typical embodiment of the present invention with the upwardly turned sole extension in the snapped position.

FIG. 2 illustrates a view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 as taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, shown in crosssection.

FIG. 3 illustrates still another embodiment of the present invention differing from the embodiment of FIG. 1 principally in the utilization of alternate snap positions and showing the ankle collar in an opened unsnapped state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With particular reference to the FIGS. 1 through 3, there is disclosed a typical slipper 4 having an ankle collar 8 with an inner surface 8a adjacent to an inner lining 10 and an outside of shoe wearing layer 11. The sole 12 extends as an extension 5 in a forward direction and has a female snap 6 snappable on a male snap 6a by virtue of the female cavity 6b, the male snap 6a being mounted on the end of an elastic gore attached at 7a to the top of the shoe. Additionally there is a gore 7 across the upper cutout portion of the shoe. The upper surface 11a of the shoe body 11 includes an open toe and has mounted thereon the gore at 7a.

The FIG. 3 embodiment illustrates the alternate snap position 6b and 6b receivable of the female snap 6'.

The collar 8 of the slipper has the snap element 9 for securing the shoe to the foot, and in FIG. 3 is viewed in an open state as female element 90 and male element 13.

The sole includes the wearing-outer layer 12, the foam layer 12b, and the inner lining 10a, and similarly the shoe body 11 sides and top 11a oftoe and collar 8 includes the inner lining 10, foam layer 12a and the outer-wearing surface 12a.

It is within ordinary skill to make such modifications and variations and substitution of equivalents as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill.

I claim:

1. An expansion slipper comprising in combination: a foot enclosing shoe structure having a sole and top with an open toe and having a sole continuing forwardly as an extension flexible upwardly and backwardly over the open toe and detachably securable to the top of the shoe, said extension being attachable to the top of the shoe by an attaching means for permitting the effective sole length to vary a predetermined degree, said attaching means including an elastic member joined at one end of the member to the top of the shoe in a heel-ward direction and being free of attachment at the other end but including securing means for detachably securing thereto the backwardly flexed sole extension.

2. A slipper of claim 1, including downwardly extending sides from said top of the shoe, said sides being joined to said sole with inner surfaces of each made flush to one another with the edges of the sole and sides extending outwardly and being seamed along the opposing flush surfaces.

3. A slipper of claim 2, in which said sole includes an outer wear-resistant layer and additionally includes a foam rubber layer inwardly thereof, said foam rubber layer at said seamed edges being exposed.

4. A slipper of claim 3, in which also said downwardly extending sides and top include a wearing layer and in- .wardly thereof an additional foam layer.

5. A slipper of claim 4, in which an upper top of the shoe is split and cut-away in a downwardly pointing cutout, and said slipper including across the cut-out an elastic sheet member.

6. A slipper of claim 5, including a detachable fastening means securable of opposing opposite edges of the cutout top portion to one another.

7. A slipper of claim 6, in which the sole includes an inner upper layer and the inner walls and top of the shoe include an inner layer of lining material. 

1. An expansion slipper comprising in combination: a foot enclosing shoe structure having a sole and top with an open toe and having a sole continuing forwardly as an extension flexible upwardly and backwardly over the open toe and detachably securable to the top of the shoe, said extension being attachable to the top of the shoe by an attaching means for permitting the effective sole length to vary a predetermined degree, said attaching means including an elastic member joined at one end of the member to the top of the shoe in a heel-ward direction and being free of attachment at the other end but including securing means for detachably securing thereto the backwardly flexed sole extension.
 2. A slipper of claim 1, including downwardly extending sides from said top of the shoe, said sides being joined to said sole with inner surfaces of each made flush to one another with the edges of the sole and sides extending outwardly and being seamed along the opposing flush surfaces.
 3. A slipper of claim 2, in which said sole includes an outer wear-resistant layer and additionally includes a foam rubber layer inwardly thereof, said foam rubber layer at said seamed edges being exposed.
 4. A slipper of claim 3, in which also said downwardly extending sides and top include a wearing layer and inwardly thereof an additional foam layer.
 5. A slipper of claim 4, in which an upper top of the shoe is split and cut-away in a downwardly pointing cutout, and said slipper including across the cut-out an elastic sheet member.
 6. A slipper of claim 5, including a detachable fastening means securable of opposing opposite edges of the cutout top portion to one another.
 7. A slipper of claim 6, in which the sole includes an inner upper layer and the inner walls and top of the shoe include an inner layer of lining material. 